Television antennas



June 28, 1960 A. C. THAYER v TELEVISION ANTENNAS Filed Feb. 16, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

FIG. 4

INVEN TOR. ARTHUR C. THAYER FIG. I

ATTORNEYS June 28, 1960 Filed Feb. 16, 1955 A. c. THAYER 2,943,326

TELEVISION ANTENNAS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. ARTHUR C. THAYERATTORNEYS 2,943,326 TELEVISION ANI'ENNAS Arthur C. Thayer, Rte. 3,Clare, Mich. Filed Feb. 16, 1955, Ser. No. 488,477 s-ciaims. (Cl.343-817) This invention relates'generally to antennas and moreparticularly to atelevision antenna of extremely simple and practicalconstruction which provides a high gain on all channels in both the lowand high frequency bands.

As is well known so called high gain antennas which have been used} infringe reception areas have been of more or less elaborate constructionand have employed elements of adequate size to resonate at particulardesired frequ ncies. Such antennas have been generally designed toreceive the signal of a certain station and have comprised relativelycomplicated directive parasitic arrays which provide a relatively highgain at certain frequencies, but receive onlya'liinited spectrum offrequencies. These normally expensive antennas. havenot beenparticularly saleable in the more populated areas where an antennareceiving a wider" range of frequencies as well as having a high gainfor receiving distant stations is desired since in these areas it willoften be possible to receive .a plurality of stations which arebroadcasting at frequencies in both thelo'w and high bands v} One of theprime objects of the instant invention is to design an all-channel broadband antenna which provides a high gain over a wide range of frequenciesand is well suited to receiving signals from broadcasting stations whichare at varying distances from the site.

Another object of the invention is to design an antenna of the typedescribed which is unobtrusive in appearanee and is not sufiicientlybulky to attract attention.

A further object of the invention is to design an antenna of this typewhich has an excellent front to back ratio and'will not pick upundesired signals coming from the rear so that co-channel interferenceis no problem. Such an antenna will also be useful where a reflectionfrom some object behind the antenna is causing ghost images on theviewing screen since the ghost signal will he reduced to a point Whereit will not interfere with .the direct signal because the antenna willnot respond to signals behind it. v p

Another object of the invention is to design an antenna in which thequality of the signal is not impaired in passing through theantenna andthe picture on theviewing screen will not be distorted, or lackcontrast, or picture :definitionJ A furtherobject of theinvention is todesign an antenna which is of compact construction so that it can beeasily and safely handled during installation and is dynamicallybalanced so thatit' may be used with a rotating mast. I

Another object. of the invention is, to provide an antenna' ofstreamlined and rugged design which will stand up under extreme weatherand icingrconditions.

A fu'rtherobject of the invention is to provide an antenna of the typedescribed which comprises antenna poles which may be readily stored-andassembled-by jobber s and *de'a le'rsonf theirpremises and transportedin their trucks to the assembly site-where they may be very'easi-ly'clamp'ed in position l on a' boom or mast. Another object ofthe invention is to provide a :broad.

Patented June 28,. 1960 bandrantenna-which will have sufhcient gain infringe areas to obtain signals of a strength which will override noisesand interferences which are picked up bythe re ceiving system.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an antenna of thetype described which is extremely simple in design and can bemanufactured and erected at relatively low cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsin the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in V the accompanying drawings, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat changes may be made in the various elements Whicli comprisethereof. H

ln the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view' of the antenna. Fig. 2 is anenlargedfragmentary top plan view of one of the vertically stacked polesthereon, the pole being inverted from the position in which it is shownin Fig. l, and being partly in section to illustrate the .connection ofone of the lead-off wires from the pole.

Fig, 3 is a side elevational view of one of the poles shown in Fig. l. i

Fig. 4- is a tranverse sectional view taken on the line -e of Fig. 2. V

Fig. 5 is a tranverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. i

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 7 is a similar view illustrating a further embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 8 is a similar view illustrating still a further embodiment of theinvention and,

Fig. 9 is a similar view indicating another modified embodiment of theinvention.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings and first of allparticularly to Figs. 1-5 thereof, a letter A generally indicatesmyantenna which includes a standard tubular boom or mast 10. The mast 10which is preferably formed of a light weight metal such as aluminum maybe mounted in a socket on the roof or the like in the conventionalmanner or may be mounted in a rotator since as will appear later theantenna is dynamically balanced. Provided on the boom at properly spacedapart intervals are dipole-like members which I shall generallydesignate 11, 12, 13, and 14, and it is to be understood that therecould be fewer or more spaced pole members and the invention is in nomanner to be restricted to the number shown, although preferably an evennumber of these horizontal members are employed. I use the termdipole-like because a strict definition of the term dipole requires thattwo conductors of one quarter wave length relative to the particularfrequency which is to be received be located in a parallel plane. Thedipole-like members11-14 are spaced apart a' distance which will causethe signals to be in phase at the terminals where the main transmissionline T is connected as is conventionally done so that the amplitudes ofthe 7 another element currents are notv influenced by the mutual imand17 comprise central rings" 18a which are mounted on the boom 10 andclamped thereto are arms 18b hav- -ingstandard Bakelite insulatingblocks 18c 01 the like .to

the inventionwithout departing from the spirit support the rods 16 and17. Setscrews 18d may be employed to clamp the spacers 18 in position onthe mast and the rods 16 and 17 are secured to the blocks 18c in anysuitable manner. The 300 ohm wires 15 and the lead-in or transmissionwires 19 to the receiver (load) are connected to suitable terminals onthe members 18c which electrically connect with the metallic rods 16 and17 and I do not deem it necessary to show these terminals in detailsince they are conventional. In fact the entire system depicted fortransferring the signal picked up by the various poles 11-14 to thereceiving set in a manner such that the irnpedances of the antenna,transmission line 19a, and receiver are properly matched is conventionaland the transformer rods 16 and 17 are, of course, employed to maintaina relatively constant terminal impedance over the broad spectrum offrequencies which may be received.

The invention herein resides in the dipole-like members 11-14 which areidentical in construction so that a description of any one of them willsuflice for all. As will be apparent thesemembers may be very readilymounted in position on the mast 10. Each pole 11-14 includes a pair ofelongated non-conductors or dielectric supports 20 and 21 which arechevron shaped in cross section (see Fig. and may be formed of wood orany other relatively inexpensive non-conductive material such as aplastic or the like. Parallelly arranged, angular, clamping members 22and 23 conforming to the 90 angularity of the members 20 and 21 receivethe inner ends of these members and a bolt 24 connects bothmembers 22and 23 and extends through the tubular mast so that a nut 25 may betightened down to clamp the pole on the rod as well as to clamp thenon-conductors in position. Interposed between the clamping members 22and 23 and members 20 and 21 are insulating strips I of moistureresistant plastic or the like which although .the members 20 and'21 maybe formed of wood assure that there will be no current leakage fromconductive 'strips on these members in wet weather or the like. It

will be observed that the angle members 22 and 23 are angular in'alongitudinal plane also, so that the members 2t) and 21 extend outwardlyat a slight angle toward the distant transmitter. Further, as will beseen in Fig. 2 the non-conductors 20 and 21 which are of relativelylarge cross section adjacent the mast 10 taper uniformly outwardly.

Mounted on the angularly concaved faces of the nonconductors 20 and 21are elongated, similarly angular, metallic conductor strips 26 which maybe formed of a foil-like aluminum sheet or any other good stripconductor, and mounted on the opposite sides of the members 20 and 21 inhorizontal alignment with the strips 26 are substantially identicalreflector strips 27. It is important to note that the use of the termfoil or foil-like I is not intended to restrict the strips employed toany particular thickness. These strips 26 and 27 may be secured inposition by annular plastic retaining rings 28 and are also cemented tothe non-conductors with non-conducting cement. The members 20 and 21 ofthe poles 11-14 are of identical construction and length and clearlyextend oppositely from the mast 10 so that the antenna will be in gooddynamic balance and may be rotatably mounted.

In order to avoid current leakages and to still provide connections forthe wires and strips 26 which are readily accessible and inexpensivelyconstructed specially designed terminals are provided which areparticularly adapted to the members previously described. A triangularblock of wood 29 or the like is covered except at its' ends with a stripof conductive aluminum 30 and an aluminum bolt 31 is provided to securethe block 29, the bolt having a non-conductive and non-moisture abrsorbent plastic washer 32a and a plastic sleeve 32 which extends throughthe support or 21, and strip 26. One of the wires 15 may then be loopedaround the extending end of the bolt which has nuts 31a and washers 33thereon between which the wire may be clamped. It will be observed thatthe reflector strips 27 terminate short of the strips 26 at their innerends so that they avoid the terminal just described, however, thereflector strips 27 will extend to the end edges of the members 20 and21 while the strips 26 will terminate slightly short thereof so that thestrips 26 and 27 are of substantially the same length. This length isgauged to the broad band of frequencies which are to be picked up sothat optimum results will be obtained as are the connected conductorsand reflectors of conventional television antennas. In the instantapplication the length of the strips 26 will be something over onequarter wave length, each resonated to one of the low frequencies in thefrequency spectrum which will be received so that over this band offrequencies those which will be received are closest to the resonancepoints of the strips 26.

In practice the antenna is rotated so that the strips are substantiallybroadside to the approaching signal of the station it is desired toreceive. Of course, both strips 26 on a given pole cannot beperpendicular to the approaching signal because of their relativeangular disposition, however, as noted, the strips are inclined towardthe distant station.

Experiments have indicated that the instant antenna provides at leasttwice as much gain on all channels in both the low and high frequencybands as do conventional all-wave antennas. This it is believed is aresult of the construction of the poleswherein closely spaced conductorand reflector elements in horizontal alignment are separated by adielectric and wherein the surfaces of the connected conductor stripsare angular so that there is a pickup of reradiation from one portion ofa strip at the other portion thereof.

It is, of course, conventional practice to employ resonant reflectorrods of circular cross section at a spaced distance in air from aconductor rod of circular cross section to modify the oncomingelectromagnetic fields in their vicinity. Such reflector rods interceptmore wave energy than if they were metallically connected to a load butmust, however, reradiate all of the energy intercepted whereas theconventional connected rod transmits one half of the wave energyintercepted and reradiates the other half. The parasitic reflector rodis thus exposed to the original wave plus a retarded one reradiated bythe conductor rod and reradiates the whole so that this latterreradiation may again feed the conductor rod which once again transmitshalf the wave energy intercepted and reradiates the remainder. Theproblem has been timing or phasing since the distances traveled by theoriginal wave and reradiated waves have varied and this timing has beencontrolled by the distance between the parasitic and connected elementin air and by the length of the parasitic element. I have discoveredthat if a horizontally disposed connected conductor element andreflector are closely spaced apart and separated by a dielectric thereradiation effect is greatly enlarged and the gain of the array isconsiderably increased. By closely spaced apart I mean a distance whichmight be .05 of a low frequency wave length to be received (measured inhundredths) as distinguished from conventional spacing which is usuallymaintained close to one quarter of the wavelength to maintain a phasedrelationship. This is particularly true where the connected element andreflector comprise thin strips having a large capture area and isaugmented by the angularity of the connected strips themselves and thereradiation which takes place between the portions of a given strip. Notiming problem is experienced because the distances traveled in thereradiation are so short in comparison to the wavelength being received.An antenna of the type which I have described ideally incorporates theprinciples which are involved in the invention and canbe moreeconomically manufactured and sold than conventional antennas. Thedielectric or nonconductive separators, are employed as the supportpoles and insulate the connected conductor from the mast. Since woodenpoles may be employed instead of the conventional poles which arefabricated of aluminum or steel obviously the cost of manufacturing theantenna can be decreased. Because of the configuration of the poles themetallic strips which are employed therewith will be relatively widewith relation to the size of the streamlined poles which are employedand will have a greater capture area for collecting waves. While theperformance of the antenna is thus improved the signal received, unlessthe antenna is exceedingly close to a transmitter, will not exceed safevalues such as to create undesired overloading at the first tube of thereceiver. Another feature to be consideredwhere the dielectric separatesthe connected element and reflector is the lack of signal responsebehind the connected element which results in what is known as anexcellent front to back ratio so that co-channel interference orreflector caused ghosts (reflection from objects other than the strips27 and located rearwardly of the antenna) create no problems.

In Fig. 6 I have shown another modification of the invention in whichthe dielectric pole 120 is of circular cross section and the connectedconductor 126 and reflector conductor 127 are applied thereto as shown.Otherwise the construction is identical and while this is not as highgain an antenna as that previously described because the strips 126 and127 are not angular and respective portions of each strip 126 do notintercept radiations from one another still the performance of such anantenna would be superior to that of known antennas and obviously thecost of manufacture would be considerably less.

Fig. 7 shows a pole which is substantially like that described in Figs.1-5 except that the dielectric pole supports 220 are tubular andobviously their operation and performance will be virtually the same.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a tubular pole support 320 which is diamondshaped in configuration and has strips 326 and 327 thereon. Theoperation and performance of this embodiment which is otherwiseidentical with the preferred embodiment shown is similar to that of theembodiment shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 shows a semicylindrical, concavo-convex tubular support pole withstrips 426 and 427'. The operation and performance is much like thatofthe embodiment shown in Figs. 1-5 with which the antenna is otherwiseidentical except that there may not be as much reflection or reradiationbetween the various port-ions of the connected conductor strip.

It should be apparent that I have perfected a greatly improved antennaand it is to be understood that various equivalent changes in theantenna shown and described may be made without departing from thespirit or principles of the invention or the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

I claim:

1. A television antenna comprising a pair of relatively narrow, elongatedielectric support pole members of substantially V-shaped cross sectionand of a predetermined equal length arranged in generally longitudinaldisposition, elongated angular conductor dipole foil st-rips extendingsubstantially from end to end of said poles sealed to the recessedsurfaces of said V-shaped pole members, elongated angular reflectorstrips on the opposite surfaces of said poles a spaced distance from andsubstantially parallel with said first mentioned strips, terminals incontact with the first mentioned strips near the adjacent ends thereof,and a transmitting line connected to said terminals.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said terminals comprisetriangular blocks covered except at their ends with conductor foil andconductor posts projecting therefrom.

3. The combination defined in aim 11 when a d pole. members are tapered"and et ntna' ing s m-able over the outer reduced. ends of said memberssecure said foil: strips in position.

4. The combination defined in claim 1" in which said reflector stripsterminate short: of terminals but extend further toward the end edgesofsaid polemembers than said'strips in the recessed surfaces.

A, 5. A television antenna comprisinga boom, a pair of spaced angle,members secured to s tl"boom, outwardly extending dielectric polemembers, chevron shaped "in cross section, with their inner ends clampedbetween said angle members, elongated conductive angular strips coveringthe recessed surfaces of said pole members substantially from end to endthereof, elongated conductive angular strips covering the oppositediverging faces of said members, and take off conductors connected toeach of said strips in the recessed surfaces near the adjacent endsthereof.

6. In a television antenna, a mast, a pair of horizontally spaced,diverging, angle members mounted on said mast, a pair of elongatedlinear dielectric pole members, chevron shaped in cross section, havingan end of each clamped between said angle members and extendingoutwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane, said members being ofidentical predetermined length and tapering uniformly from their innerends to their outer ends, elongated angular, conduetor dipole stripscovering the marginal walls of the indented faces of said members, elongated angular conductor strips covering the diverging walls of theopposite faces of said members, triangular conductor blocks filling saidindented portion of said dielectric members and electrically in contactwith said strips in the indented faces of said members, and transmissionline terminals on said blocks, said strips on the diverging walls ofsaid opposite faces terminating just short of said terminals butextending tothe ends of said pole members, and said strips in contactwith the terminals terminating just short of the ends of said polemembers so that all conductor strips are of substantially the samelength;

7. A television antenna for television signal reception comprising anelongated, rigid, non-conductor member having a recess in one faceextending substantially the length thereof and defining generallyconvergent, marginal side wall portions; a pair of generallyco-extensive, elongated, electrically separated conductive strip meansextending along said dielectric member on the exposed outer surfacethereof lengthwise thereof and secured in facial engagement therewithover their length, the strip means being separated one from the other aclosely spaced perimetral distance and generally oppositely disposed,said one of said strip means being shaped to lie in facial engagementwith said generally convergent, marginal side wall portions; conductivetransmission means connected electrically to one of said strip means;and means for supporting said antenna.

8. A television antenna for television signal reception comprising; anelongated, non-conductive, rigid member generally chevron-shaped incross section and having a recessed outer side surface and an oppositeouter side surface connected by edge surfaces; a pair of generallyco-extensive, elongated, conductive foil strip means extendinglengthwise of said dielectric member; one strip means being secured infacial engagement with the recessed side surface of said non-conductivemember over the length of the strip means and the other strip beingsecured in facial engagement with the directly opposite side surface;said strip means substantially spanning said side surfaces from edgesurface to edge surface and being separated electrically one fromanother by said edge surfaces; transmission means connected electricallyto the strip means on the recessed surface; and mast means 7 forsupporting said non-eonduetive member connec ted FOREIGN PATENTS theretoin a manner to be insulated from said strip means. 510,172 1 Canada Feb.15,1955 References Cited in the file'of thiS patent" 892360 France 1944UNITED STATES PATENTS A V 6 OTHER REFERENCES 2,505,098 Cornelius Apr.25, 1950 White: A Paste Pot Beam for 10, CQ, March 1949, 2,608,658Richards Aug. 26, 1952 p g 20. 2,714,659 Johnson e1; a1. Aug. 2, 1955The A.R.R.L. Antenna Book, American Radio Relay 2,769,170 Clogston Oct.30, 1956 0 League, page 160, 6th edition, 1954.

2,789,286 Marshall Apr. 16, 1957

